TGIF April 2007: Scores

1. IMPs. N-S vul.

J 7 2 Q A Q 9 6 A K J 10 8

West

North

East

South

1

1

2

2

Pass

Pass

3

Pass

3

Pass

?

Your call?

Bid

Votes

Award

4

12

100

4

3

70

4NT

0

60

6

1

60

5

1

30

4

0

20

5NT

1

20

4

0

10

Moderator: After the 3 rebid, is 4 forcing? Most think so, but some take action to remove partner from the decision: they worry partner may pass 4.Barry Rigal: 4. My 3 call set up a game-force. Although there are some auctions where four of a minor can be passed, this is not one. I would have bid 4 on the previous round to set diamonds as trump and show short hearts.Paul Soloway: 4. I'm looking for slam, so let's set trump.Brad Bart: 4. The 3 bid setup 4 as a force.Kai Zhou: 4. slam interest in D.Julien Levesque: 4. A forcing bid looking at a slam, as 3NT and 5 would be signoffs and 4 would muddy the water.Eugene Chan: 5. At IMPs, I choose the safest game which is 5. Possible to make 6. Would like to temporize 4 forcing, but opener will probably pass.Dan Jacob: 4. 3 was forcing to game. Ben Ong: 4NT. bidding 6 with 2 aces, 5 otherwise.Adam Melzak: 4NT. 4 seems like buckpassing, although nice to confirm fit. His pass at 2nd opportunity would tend to deny club fit so... I wouldn't totally sneer on 6.Richard Syrnyk: 5. Hope I haven't missed slam!Loring Windblad: 6. Partner should have at least 2-2 1/2 quick tricks and they should come in the form of K J and A Q or A K. 6 should be a laydown. Safe bidding? 5.Stephen Vincent: 4NT. Must be RKC in D after the cue bid.Stuart Carr: 4. I don't want to give up on the possibility of slam yet. Figure partner 4-2-5-2.Gilbert Lambert: 4NT. KJ of diamonds and AK of spades makes this a sound diamond slam, and pard is allowed to have opened with more than eleven HCP.David Walker: 4. We're in a forcing to game situation after two control bids. Want partner to use key-card blackwood.Patti Adams: 6. It might be a stretch, but 5 sounds so wimpy, and 4 isn't forcing.Aidan Ballantyne: 4. Tough problem as not sure 4 is forcing. I'll bid 4 and if pard bids 4NT I will answer KC in clubs; if pard bids 5 I will correct to 5 and give an out; if pard bids the likely 5 I will have to guess to pass or raise diamonds.Susan Peters: 5. 4 at matchpoints, but 5 looks safer at imps.Martin Henneberger: 4. Natural and game forcing.Mike Roberts: 4. Given that partner has no heart stopper, 6 must have a decent play...unless partner is 4432. I don't know how to cater to that. Perry Khakhar: 4. The worst hand that I can imagine partner to hold, AKxx xxxx KJTx x, would still make 5. So slam investigation should be safe.Jared Riley: 4. Partner knows by my failure to use a negative double or bid 2 that I have only 3. Since you have a guaranteed heart loser, pd would need the strong nt he doesn't have to make slam good.Bj Trelford: 5. Did 3 set diamonds or ask for a stopper? Partner showed a minimum by passing 2. 5 is high enough.Chris Buchanan: 6. We have a rule in Edmonton: bid what you think you can make. Partner has at most KJ of Diamonds and Q of Clubs and J of Hearts. Playing them for at least AQ of spades.Bob Todd: 4. Since splinters don't appear to be part of sayc, my first Q was GF. 2nd one should be control showing slam try in support of S or D . Over 4 I will bid 5.Paul Mcmullin: 4NT. Make sure we're not missing two aces in this auction that sounded like it might have been showing stoppers toward 3NT.Kevin Strangway: 4. Jump Q splintering immediately over 1 would have made life easier.Ranjan Bhaduri: 4NT. Keycard. I'm probably going to 6.Fred & Barb Bart: 4. 6 might be there but take the sure Spade game on a 4-3 fit. Dan Cecchelli: 4. Slam is still possible - will await developments. I sure hope partner doesn't pass 4!!

2. Matchpoints. Both vul.

5 4 K 9 7 5 4 3 10 3 2 Q 5

West

North

East

South

1

1

Pass

Pass

2NT

Pass

?

Your call?

Bid

Votes

Award

3NT

10

100

3

4

90

4

1

50

4

1

50

3

2

30

3

0

0

Moderator: What's partner doing with 2NT? It can't be 18-19 because that's 1NT. Some think it's 20+; some a solid minor; some both minors. Most respondents want to introduce hearts.Paul Soloway: 3NT. How to introduce hearts and create a force is not clear, so I bid a simple 3NT.Brad Bart: Pass. Will my tickets be enough to make 3NT opposite a solid diamond suit and a spade stopper? I take my plus.Kai Zhou: 3. To play.Julien Levesque: 3NT. It's a "lesser evil" bid with North as the declarer to right side the contract.Eugene Chan: 3. I'm not broke. Partner can still carry on to 3NT.Dan Jacob: 3. Transfer, system on over 2N. Should be clear since I didn't raise diamonds the first time.Ben Ong: 3. Tough to evaluate how precious the sixth heart is. Torn between a 3 or 4 bid, but caution is probably warranted here.Richard Syrnyk: 3. Transfer bid to hearts then raise to 4.Loring Windblad: 3. Depending upon Partner, I might bid 4.Stephen Vincent: 3. 3 of a major after partner's rebid of 2NT is much more usefully played as forcing rather an attempt to land in the best part score.Stuart Carr: 4. Not sure what partner is showing: 20+ HCP?Peg Mcshane: 3. transferDavid Walker: 3NT. I didn't double, so she bid NT alone and must have three hearts.Patti Adams: 3NT. Partner likes their hand, I have 3 diamonds, which will help run his suit, and the K must be working, too.Aidan Ballantyne: 3. Pard could be offshape with longish minor so I will go slow.Mike Roberts: 3NT. Points are there for game. 3 is not forcing, and 2NT is not 18-19. 4 is too risky, and the 10 will be an entry to my K. Positionality is key on this hand.Perry Khakhar: 3NT. In the hope that it is the only making game!Jared Riley: Pass. 1N by N in this auction shows 18-19, so this must be good diamonds and a spade stopper. Hope the limit is 3, and 2N.Bj Trelford: 3. 2NT must be both minors.Michael Roche: 3. 2NT can't be natural - must be 6-4 in the minorsChris Buchanan: 3. I would have started with a negative double, but it is now time to get the heart suit in.Bob Todd: 3NT. This is sayc right? Partner likely has length in D+S or he would have doubled with strength.Kevin Strangway: 3. Is 2NT 18-19 balanced as 1NT would have been?Ranjan Bhaduri: 3. Give partner the choice of 3NT or 4.Fred & Barb Bart: 4. Partner has 18-19 and we have at least an 8 card fit. My 5 HCPs just went up in value.Jane Fyfe: 4. Assuming no texas transfer.Leo Weniger: 3NT. Pard probably has long diamonds, and could easily have a singleton heart (hopefully an honor).Dan Cecchelli: 4. I bid what I think I can make!!

3. Matchpoints. None vul.

A 6 4 3 J 5 A 10 9 3 J 9 3

West

North

East

South

Pass

1

2

Pass

?

Your call?

Bid

Votes

Award

2

7

100

3

6

90

2NT

3

70

Pass

2

40

4

0

10

3NT

0

0

Moderator: Play in hearts? Notrump? Game? Partscore? How do you keep all options in the picture?Jill Meyers: 2. It's close between 2 and 3, but I like my aces.Barry Rigal: 3. It's not perfect---we might miss 3NT.Paul Soloway: 3. This hand looks suit oriented, and the spade spots make 2NT unattractive.Kai Zhou: 2NT. Has some risk but too good to pass.Eugene Chan: Pass. Nice hand but I don't believe we have a game.Dan Jacob: 2NT. Not pretty but I got to do something.Ben Ong: Pass. A 3NT game is unlikely...Stephen Vincent: 2NT. A little more stuffing in spades would be nice but you can't have everything. It could be one of those hands where partner has a running heart suit and 3NT will make but not 4.David Walker: Pass. Wait for developments. 4 is in the cards.Aidan Ballantyne: 2. Overcalling 2 over 1 requires something extra in my theory (either extra good suit or strength). Cue bid will tell me more and allow proper exploration of both the level and the strain.Martin Henneberger: 2. 2NT seems right on values..but 2 trump and aces doesnt want to discourage a suit contract ...since I dont have enough info as to where we should play..I will start with 2.Judi Carter: 2. Planning to bid 3NT or 4 depending on pard's spade holding.Mike Roberts: 2. While 2 might easily be on 5, I still think 4 is a much more likely game than 3NT, given my spade interiors. I like my aces.Perry Khakhar: 2. Let's see if partner can provide some further input. 2N, 3, 3N or 4 are all possible.Bj Trelford: Pass. Matchpoints so I am going for a plus.Chris Buchanan: 2NT. I don't like it, but I do not like my other options.Bob Todd: 3. Pass may be right but positionally this is a good hand.Paul Mcmullin: 2. Tell me more? At least I almost have honor-doubleton in partner's suit.Ranjan Bhaduri: 2NT. Show my spade stopper and some values (my original pass should give partner a clear indication of my points).Fred & Barb Bart: 2. If partner has 6 hearts and a solid overcall, 4 hearts might be there but we'll settle for 3.

4. IMPs. None vul.

K Q 4 A J 2 A J 10 3 Q 7 3

West

North

East

South

3

Dbl

Pass

?

Your call?

Bid

Votes

Award

3NT

6

100

4NT

4

90

5NT

1

80

6NT

5

70

Pass

1

70

4

1

20

6

0

10

5

0

0

Moderator: Is it time for another 3NT or is it time to try for greater things?Jill Meyers: 3NT. If 4NT was quantitative, that would be my choice, but I am afraid 4NT is either minors or Blackwood. Good thing to discuss with partner.Barry Rigal: 3NT. I play 4NT as minors with no slam interest, and 4 shows minors with slam interest. I have no way to invite, so I'll guess that we can't make slam.Kai Zhou: 6NT. Can hardly see 7.Eugene Chan: 4NT. Quantitative 4NT. Hope partner does not think this is pick a minor.Larry Meyer: 4NT. Hoping to show spades stopped, and more than enough for 3NT.Dan Jacob: 6NT. The practical bid. Could be wrong if pard is 5-4-4. I could start with 4 but I will have the same problem over 5: 5 should show a different hand, just too good to bid 5 the first time. Ben Ong: 4. Planning on bidding slam in whatever suit partner bids. 4NT to check for aces is a close second choice, but a suit contract seems better than NT.Adam Melzak: 4. I think you can risk bypassing 3N looking for 6N/6, if he replies 5 then 5 and maybe pard raises to 6. If 5 then wing 6.Richard Syrnyk: 6NT. I expect partner to have 16+ points.Loring Windblad: 3NT. I'd settle for the relatively sure 3N with the flat hand. 6 may be there and may not....but if I show my solid stoppers and commitment to 3N and partner has extra values they will carry on.Stephen Vincent: 4NT. Tough. Want to keep slam options open without punishing partner.Stuart Carr: 3NT. I'd like to bid 4NT as invitational to 6NT.Gilbert Lambert: 4NT. Natural, quantitative.David Walker: 6NT. Risky, but what the hell. 3 is one hell of an interference. Aidan Ballantyne: Pass. Especially if LHO is under 30. We may get only 800 if we make small slam but I'm taking a plus since there is not good way to investigate slam.Martin Henneberger: 4NT. Quantitative. I hope pd and I are on the same page!Mike Roberts: Pass. Most likely +800 vs. a slam, or +500 vs. a game. It's the +500 vs -50 that sways me at IMPS. Slam isn't cold - wouldn't we all double on x KQxx KQxx Axxx? I'll take the money. Perry Khakhar: 4. 6N seems to be solid, but if partner has a source of tricks, maybe 7N could make. My bid tends to show the minors, so wait to see what partner does, before committing the hand.Bj Trelford: Pass. Either pass or 6NT. Not sure 6NT will make so pass wins my vote.Michael Roche: 3NT. Most partners would play 4NT as showing minors.Chris Buchanan: 4NT. Quantitative.Ross Jamieson: 6NT. I'd like to ask aces, but then I can't naturally bid 5NT if we're missing values.Paul Mcmullin: Pass. It may be hard to find 9 tricks with this flat hand at 3NT; we may even score up down 3 (or 4?). Am I missing slam?Ranjan Bhaduri: 4NT. Going to go to 6NT but need to make sure that partner has at least one ace.Jane Fyfe: 4NT. Quantitative.Dan Cecchelli: 4. We may be on for a grand!!

5. Matchpoints. None vul.

A 5 4 7 6 K 9 8 3 A Q 8 3

West

North

East

South

1

2

Pass

2

Pass

Pass

2NT

Pass

?

Your call?

Bid

Votes

Award

3

13

100

Pass

3

40

3

1

30

3NT

1

10

Moderator: What's partner's intention? One possibility is a trap pass of 2 doubled. The other is a takeout for the minors.Paul Soloway: 3. If you have a trap pass of 2, Dbl is the traditional way of announcing that hand. It would not be a penalty double. When you get stuck with 9 or 10 HCP with five diamonds and three clubs, you need a way to compete.Kai Zhou: 3. Pard should have 5 and 4, but why would I open 1?Eugene Chan: 3. All good North hands should double. Hence 2NT is for minors. Opening 1 would have been a better choice.Dan Jacob: 3. 2NT should be TO for minors; we should have at least a 4-4 fit.Ben Ong: Pass. Good luck partner!Adam Melzak: Pass. So is 2N a takeout for minors or showing stoppers? Based on your heart holding, I'd go with the latter and pass.Loring Windblad: 3. I'm not sure whether this is the impossible 2NT or natural. If Natural the D stopper should come in handy to let partner know 3NT is a possibility.Stephen Vincent: Pass. This started out as a flat minimum and nothing much has changed about it.David Walker: 3NT. Partner has hearts and diamonds and 10+ points. Patti Adams: Pass. I think partner's just competing.Aidan Ballantyne: 3. I shoulda opened 1. Perhaps pard is trying to show long diamonds and club support so I will try 3. If pard's bid is natural we may bid and make 3NT.Mike Roberts: 3. I think partner has a light heart trap, but maybe it's minors, although that gives the opps way too many major cards. If partner does have the heart trap, we'll play 3NT - it's only one more, partner! Perry Khakhar: Pass. Pard had a heart trap. They wiggled off the hook though. I will try to get a plus!Bj Trelford: 3NT. Partner has a trap pass of 2 and a partial spade stopper. I have one also.Michael Roche: 3. Thanks Partner - good bid! Shows 5(+) Diamonds and 3 ClubsChris Buchanan: Pass. Partner likey has a trap pass for hearts. I am going to try and take a plus.Bob Todd: 3. I assume if partner was trapping in hearts with values he would double. I think he has diamonds with club support. Paul Mcmullin: Pass. No extras, flat hand. Sounds like partner wanted to hit 2. [By the way, why didn't this hand open 1?]Ranjan Bhaduri: Pass. I've shown my opening hand - partner is competing - no reason to bid again.Leo Weniger: 3. Pard has a heart trap, short spades and diamonds. With clubs he would have bid 3.Dan Cecchelli: Pass. Partner had a trap pass over 2. With my minimum, that is all!!